Altrincham Appeals

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determineddaddy
Posts: 43
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 8:38 pm

Altrincham Appeals

Post by determineddaddy »

Our appeal against AGGS was successful 2 years ago. Before I put this awful experience behind me I want to share some of my insights into the process in case it helps other parents to decide whether to appeal and if so how to appeal.

Another parent on this forum appealed successfully against St Ambrose last year. I hope that other people with experience of the process will share their experience.

Coming soon....
Dougal
Posts: 39
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2006 1:34 am

Re: Altrincham Appeals

Post by Dougal »

That would be great, the whole process can be so stressful. Glad that you were successful
Maybugs
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 10:21 pm

Re: Altrincham Appeals

Post by Maybugs »

That would be a great help as we are soon to enter in to the appeal process and any help would be gratefully received.

Glad that you were successful.
determineddaddy
Posts: 43
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 8:38 pm

Re: Altrincham Appeals

Post by determineddaddy »

The 1st thing I would say is weigh the odds and count the cost.

In our year AGGS saw 4 successful appeals out of nearly 50. The year before saw only a couple of successful appeals. Although the appeals panels are successful this is a school with a track record of consistently fending off the vast majority of appeals. In some schools the odds are much more favorable.

The biggest group of appeals comes from parents whose child did not quite hit the required score in the exam. AGGS has a history of showing very little mercy to these applicants. If a girl's exam score comes in just 5 point below there will be a lot of other people whose score came in closer and are therefore more worthy of a place in the eyes of the school.

Our appeal was on the grounds that the school did not follow its own rules for judging our house move closer to the school. If you can show the school has made a mistake then I think you have a stronger case.

Count the cost for your whole family. Obviously the appeal is very stressful but far harder is trying to support your child whilst they wait til July for the appeal result when most of their peers have their secondary school settled by March. Appeals are not for the faint hearted. The idea that if you appeal "you have nothing to lose" is nonsense. If you appeal your life will feel on hold for several months....unless you have much greater emotional balance and stamina than I had.
determineddaddy
Posts: 43
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 8:38 pm

Re: Altrincham Appeals

Post by determineddaddy »

What I meant to say about appeals panels is that they are independent not successful. Nevertheless some schools consistently uphold a higher percentage of appeals than others.
determineddaddy
Posts: 43
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 8:38 pm

Re: Altrincham Appeals

Post by determineddaddy »

There are essentially 2 parts to the process of appeals; your written submission and the hearing. The reason why the written submission is so important is that the hearing is so short.
Our hearing was 12 minutes long. Some were even shorter. By the time the 5 members of the panel have introduced themselves and given you an introductory overview plus the date you will hear by there is really very little opportunity to say much. I was frustrated about being able to say so little. My wife told them a bit about DD and I showed them a map in an attempt to graphically demonstrate the school's mistake in not counting our application from our hew home. The school was represented by an assistant head who said very little. She made no effort to answer my case or to show how the school thought they had applied their admissions policy fairly. I had expected the hearing to interrogate me and to interrogate the school and get to the bottom of the issues. But there was no real argument. I found this bewildering. I came away thinking either my case was so strong it did not need discussing (not very likely) or they weren't really interested. It felt like a token perfunctory wast of time. I felt I had wasted my time taking a day off work to attend. So I want to stress that you will not necessarily get much of hearing at the hearing.
That is why the written submission is so important.
Oshosh
Posts: 265
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2012 9:35 pm

Re: Altrincham Appeals

Post by Oshosh »

Hello determinedaddy,


Were you asked any questions at all.....
determineddaddy
Posts: 43
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 8:38 pm

Re: Altrincham Appeals

Post by determineddaddy »

Yes Oshosh we were asked some questions ; what were DD's interests, and why a girls school and why AGGS. But they did not ask any questions about our main appeal argument. So I suppose they were sideways questions. The panel varied in disposition from friendly to cold. They came across as sensible people. I think they did their best to get to grips with our case in limited time.
determineddaddy
Posts: 43
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 8:38 pm

Re: Altrincham Appeals

Post by determineddaddy »

My sense is that the hearing is not where the real decision making takes place. I think they must discuss the case when you have gone (as they did not discuss it in our presence). And I think the way parents really convince them (nor not) is in the written submission. My guess is that the decision is 80% made before they meet you.

I think you need to make a clear and compelling case in writing. Backed up by lots of evidence. Our case took me about 20 hours work to put together. I rewrote it several times until I was convinced it was as strong as possible. I think you need to be really clear about what you are saying the school has done wrong and why your child going to this school is the only possible right outcome.

If there is any complexity in your case then there just will not be time to get it across at the hearing.

I don't think there is much value in paying someone to represent you. But you really need to make sure that you know what you are talking about and say it persuasively assuming nothing. I think people who volunteer for the panel are generally intelligent sensible people who want to do the right thing. You have to persuade them what the right thing is...
Oshosh
Posts: 265
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2012 9:35 pm

Re: Altrincham Appeals

Post by Oshosh »

Hello Determinedaddy,

From your posts, i wonder if you case should have been dealt with by admissions themselves, and the place should have been given to your DD at that stage. Why did it stretch to appeal. The stress of appeal for you as parents and stress for DD was clearly unnecessary. :?:

If the admissions have acted wrongly, not followed guidelines when applying criteria - and that was the main reason of appeal.....welll imo, it shouldnt be the main reason. I always thought appeal was appealing against a decision which made fairly and correctly. But in your case, clearly the offer of place from admission authority wasnt done properly.


And if you say that you won the appeal because of the above- the admissions authority, are they admitting fault- why didnt they see it in the first place.


Am i missing something here :?:
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